Heroes Never Die, For a Price
by TheGreen1
Summary: Ever since Winston attempted to recall Overwatch, Angela Ziegler has been troubled. She's struggling to figure out what she should do now and where she fits into the chain of events unfolding. To make matters worse she hasn't been sleeping well as she is plagued by bad dreams and horrible nightmares. *Almost every character will make an appearance*
1. Chapter 1

Dr Ziegler rubbed her eyes and yawned loudly. For several nights she had been having bouts of fitful sleep. Plagued by bad dreams and the occasional nightmare; each night they got weirder and weirder. Dreams of being in a strange place or surrounded by unfamiliar people. Visions of dimly lit rooms with stifling atmospheres. Try as she might, she could never fully recall any of the dreams. She stood up and stretched, shaking her head and blinking rapidly to compose herself. Though she desired sleep she had a very important project to work on. Having recently invented a full body shield that rendered her impervious for a few seconds, she was now working on a method to increase the range of her resurrection technique. Perhaps she should have answered Winston's recall request, that way she could've had the old team helping her. However, she feared that they would once again attempt to weaponize her work. She'd rather not have that so she continued to work alone with the occasional assistant.

"Angela..."

She spun around thinking she heard a voice but there was no one. She rubbed her heavy eyes again; maybe she'd drifted off to sleep. With a sigh she continued working until it was time to leave her lab. She went through the normal ebb and flow of returning to her apartment. Once there she prepped dinner and then hopped in the shower. The warm water worked wonders with her mood and she stepped out feeling refreshed. Wiping away the moisture from the mirror she could've sworn she saw something red on her face but once it cleared up a bit there was nothing; just her imagination. Moving on she slipped into her nightgown, ate dinner, and decided to wind down by watching a health documentary. Finally she allowed sleep to take her once she was positive she'd fall into a deep sleep. And fall she did.

Falling, falling, falling through darkness as far as she could see. She looked desperately around for someone to glide to but there was no one. In fact it seemed her valkyrie suit wasn't working at all. She let out a shriek of terror but suddenly found herself laying across a couch. She looked around the cozy little room and spotted a woman holding a clipboard sitting nearby.

"Take as much time as you need to think, Ms Ziegler, there's no rush," the woman spoke.

"I'm sorry what?" Angela responded.

The woman wrote something on a clipboard then answered, "the question, take as long as you need to answer the question."

"What question?" Angela returned.

The woman put down her clipboard and Angela found herself staring at her own face. There was no mistaking it; although the woman had purple eyes, dark hair, and wore red lipstick, her face every bit of Angela Ziegler. "Why do you resist me?" She hissed.

"What?" Angela stammered.

"Don't what me; I'm tired of waiting on you to realize your true desires," she ranted, "You're denying your true self." Angela sat with her mouth hanging open, idly shaking her head back and forth in disbelief. "How many times are we going to go through this," the woman sighed.

"You're me," Angela wondered out loud. The woman nodded; her face though reassuring did absolutely nothing to quell the shock Angela was felt. "No," Angela began, "no this isn't real, this can't be; I'm dreaming again aren't I."

"Don't you start," the woman interjected

"I'M DREAMING," Angela insisted.

"I SAID DON'T," the woman snarled getting out of her seat.

"NO GET AWAY FROM ME," Angela sprung up from the sofa and made a break for the door with the woman in hot pursuit. She slammed into the door, knocking it open into a hallway. Sprinting as fast as she could she frantically tried to think of how to wake up. She shouted in exasperation and heard the woman behind her yelling.

"COME BACK HERE," she screamed, her voice growing ever closer. Try as she might, Angela couldn't run any faster and felt like she was moving in slow motion. Panicking, she glanced back just as she was tackled against a wall. The woman seized her ponytail and pulled her head back. Her other hand wrapped around Angela's throat and allowed her to pin an arm down.

"Release me, Angela," the woman growled, "Release me and discover your true potential." Angela struggled and screamed in retaliation. She screamed until her lungs burned and the heat made her sweat.The dry heat of her room felt suffocating and her many pillows didn't help the matter. Angela sat up in bed, her nightgown soaked with sweat. She was awake. How the hell did she forget to set the AC to a comfortable sleeping temperature. In fact she didn't remember adjusting it at all. She got up to get a cool drink of water and adjust the thermostat. It read 80. Definitely not what it should've been. Before returning to her room she double checked her locks. Once back in her room she very quickly rinsed off and returned to bed but didn't immediately fall asleep. Yet another bad dream had disturbed her but she couldn't really remember it. Someone chasing her...someone, someone...someone wanted her help?


	2. Chapter 2

Morning came before she knew it and it was off to the office. Once there she set back to work. After a couple hours she received a call. It was Genji.

"Hello, Genji," she greeted him.

"Greetings," he returned, his voice sounded a bit troubled, "How are you today Angela.

"I'm doing alright, how about you," she responded.

"Not too bad; I called because I thought you might like to know that I am offering to help Winston with the Overwatch recall," he said.

Somewhat surprised she remarked, "Oh, really? Well that's um, that's really good I know they could use your help, especially since Doomfist escaped."

"Since you're not here I can assume you did not desire to return to the group and I understand why," Genji began, "I am not calling to try and persuade you to return, I am merely informing you of a couple things."

"What would that be," she questioned

"Winston has received Intel from Fareeha; She says that her mother is alive," he revealed.

Mercy gasped, "are you serious?"

"Indeed, apparently her mother was working under an alias ever since her accident; what's more, Ana discovered that both Jack and Gabe are alive as well," he continued.

"I can't believe it," she murmured.

"I know it's shocking," he went on, "lastly Ana would like to speak with you and was hoping that you would be in contact with Winston; What would you like me to tell them.

"Give them my number please," she told him.

"Will do; I have to go now Angela, be safe," he urged.

"You too Genji," she replied. The call ended and she let out an exasperated sigh. How would she focus on work now. A knock on her door startled her and in came her omnic assistant.

"Hello Dr Ziegler, where shall we go for lunch today," it inquired. She looked at her watch and sure enough lunchtime had crept up on her. They went out into the Oasis city and found a restaurant nearby she had yet to visit.

"Hello, um do you serve deli style sandwiches here?" Angela asked the cashier

"We can get you anything you want miss...for a price," the cashier replied.

Angela shot the woman a confused look, "I'm sorry what?"

"What I meant was you can create a dish based on many of the items you see on the menu but I can't guarantee the price won't be outrageous," the cashier warned. Angela nodded and bought a normal menu item. For the rest of the day she couldn't shake that statement for some reason. It distracted her from her work. More so, it made her think about some of the consequences of her work. Specifically, how was Gabe alive. Feeling that she had done enough today she left the office. Back at home she went through her usual evening routine. She got into bed and turned on the tv. She had expected a call from Ana but nothing yet. 3 people she thought to be dead; Alive. What would come of these discoveries? Unsure of her feelings and feeling only somewhat tired she figured she would take some melatonin to help her sleep. Help with sleep was exactly what she needed.

"And I can help you sleep you know," a woman said.

Angela thought about the prospect for a moment then replied, "Maybe if the melatonin doesn't do the trick." She shifted uneasily on the sofa; it was definitely much more comfortable when she had laid down on it before.

"Is everything alright," the woman asked.

"I'm just a little uncomfortable is all," she responded, "I'm not sure how things turned out the way they did, it's all really hard to process."

"I can imagine," the woman started, I imagine it brings up a lot of emotions and feelings of regret. You might think of things you could've done differently. Maybe you should've worked harder to keep the peace; maybe you should've focused more on your projects. Or perhaps you should've done things entirely different from the start. There's no reason they shouldn't have listened to you. Why wouldn't you listen to your healer. Your savior."

"Savior?" Angela thought out loud, "That's a bit much don't you think?"

"I think it's not enough actually," she offered. Puzzled, Angela sat up and looked over. It was her, the woman that looked like her. This time she sported horns some black markings on her forehead. "You were saying something?" the woman kept on.

"I'm not talking to you, get out of my head," Angela commanded her. The woman shook her head in response. Irritated, Angela stood up and moved to leave. "You look like a devil," she called back.

"You can call me that if you wish," Devil shot back. Angela opened the door to find there was absolutely nothing outside the door. There was literally a wall behind the door. She shut it then opened it again. "It's a wall sweetheart," Devil informed her. Angela glared back at her. Devil motioned for her to sit down.

"No thank you," she declined. Devil shrugged and leaned back in her seat.

"How's our cyborg heartthrob doing," she cooed, "I'm sure he brought up a few feelings."

"Shut up," Angela retorted. Devil's eyebrows raised.

"The things I could do to him; and by I, I mean you of course," she went on.

"I told you to shut up," Angela grew louder.

"Fight me, bitch," Devil spat. Hearing those words directed at her in the sound of her own voice reached a new level of shock for Angela and elicited from her a brand new facial expression. She's not exactly sure what it looked like, but Devil was clearly amused as she roared with laughter. "That's what I thought; now are you gonna stand over there and whine like a soft fuck or are you going to do something," she threatened. Angela was silent. Rather than continue to be harassed she figured she'd do the sensible thing. She closed her eyes. "Oh so you think you can just ignore me, huh," Devil shouted. She stood and and moved towards Angela.

"Stay back," she warned. She drew her pistol and held it up, although her arms shook. Devil noticed this and hesitantly took a step forward.

Devil began taunting her, "You sleep with your pistol now? Something you need protection from? Afraid your old friends might show up at the door?"

"Why would they come looking for me?" she implored.

"Who are you asking?" Devil joked. She gave the pistol a disapproving look. "We both know you aren't going to kill anyone; at least not like that, not intentionally," she mocked, " Now put that away before I hand you your ass."

Angela frowned in disgust, "The things you're saying, I would never say; you're not me." She lowered her pistol. Devil grinned; a very, very devilish grin. There was a loud bang followed by silence. Then there were several loud bangs.

Someone was banging on the door. Angela rolled out of bed with a powerful headache. At her door was a delivery man with a package. She signed for the package and went back inside. Today was Saturday so she didn't have to work. She took some headache meds and crawled back into bed. Before long she had fallen asleep again. She found herself at a school. She walked through the hallway and made her way to her classroom. When she got there class had already began. Several eyes followed her to her seat.

"Ms. Ziegler since you were late perhaps you would like to lead us in a discussion about the mental drawbacks of utilizing nanotechnology without a tool," the professor addressed her. Angela looked around the room, embarrassed. A few people chuckled.

She took a breath and spoke, "Uh, well, for starters there are many ways to use nanotechnology but it should always be used with a tool or on a tool unless there's an emergency. Many people want to weaponize nanotechnology but it's not completely safe for the human mind."

"You'd know all about that wouldn't you," laughed a classmate. Angela turned red and looked over at...herself...in red. Devil was clad in a red outfit; it was stylized version of the valkyrie suit. She waved at Angela with a knowing smile on her face. Angela jumped up and ran out of the room followed by a cacophony of laughter. She sprinted right out of her heels, sprinted until tears streamed from her eyes and everything blurred into lines. Her heart raced in her chest and she struggled to catch her breath. Sitting up in bed, she found it quite difficult to keep her eyes open. She could barely stand and stumbled around the room as if her head was too heavy. 5 missed calls from 2 unknown numbers. The time on her phone was currently 12:50. Dammit had she really slept this late. She called the first number back.

"Hello," came a familiar voice.

"Ana is that you? My god I can't believe it. What happened? What did you need to talk to me about?" she asked all at once.

"Angela there's no time. You have to hurry. There's a lot happening right now in the world and if you're going to be of any help, YOU HAVE TO UNLEASH ME AT ONCE!" snarled Devil's voice. Angela pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it like it hurt her. She could hear Devil's mocking laughter as she stared at the phone number. The time read 13:67. 'What the hell,' Angela thought. She lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Looking around she was definitely in her bedroom. She felt fine, albeit still quite tired. She checked her phone; it was 11:28, Saturday, July 15. With a heavy sigh she crawled out of bed and washed her face. She would have to schedule a doctor's appointment on Monday and do something about her sleep issues.


	3. Chapter 3

_***Note: I don't speak spanish, sorry in advance; I would've loved to been able to portray the characters better that way but this is just a pet project***_

 _-Elsewhere that same day-_

Sombra and Reaper stood atop a building overlooking Oasis. They had a clear view of Angela's apartment from where they stood. Sombra brought up a comms screen and contacted Doomfist

"We've confirmed Ziegler's exact whereabouts; standing by for the next move" she informed him.

"Good, I've almost made it to Numbani. Once the ape shows himself then you two get the doctor; do try not to kill the woman Reyes, you will get your chance soon." Doomfist assured.

Reaper laughed, "Don't you worry, she will rectify her mistakes and pay for them dearly."

"You'll know when I begin, just keep your eye on the news; Doomfist out."

The two looked at each other then back at Angela's apartment. "The plan is pretty solid, but I'm pretty sure Doomfist just wanted a rematch with the monkey," he remarked, "I wouldn't mind having another go at it myself."

"If everything pans out then everyone will be able to have what they desire. A little more brainwashing to get people on our side and we'll be one step closer to getting our cloning technology figured out. I know Talon thinks they have really ambitious goals but honestly if they just waited a bit then the rest of the world would could catch up to their ideals." Sombra asserted.

"Why wait; even in a twisted world like this, there are those that will never be able to adjust to change because they think themselves too high and mighty," he reasoned.

Sombra nodded, adding, "Like Morrison."

"Speaking of Morrison, I doubt this attack on Numbani will draw him out of hiding. If anything he'll probably see right through it as an attempt to get back at the monkey and draw out Overwatch's remnants before they can reform. He won't make the same mistake twice. Overwatch failed before so he won't take that route again. Morrison is stupid but not that stupid," Reaper pointed out.

Changing subjects, Sombra blurted, "You know we should have grabbed lunch before we did all this."

Reaper turned his head and she looked at his mask and shrugged as if to say, 'I can't tell what kind of look you're giving me'. He was used to it by now but he sometimes you just have to look at person and wonder what they're thinking. He responded with, "You can get your lunch after we get the doctor; she might even have something for you to eat there.

"That's true, I could use my new translocator to check and see. This new one has a camera and little spider legs that allow for remote control," she bragged.

Reaper shrugged off the suggestion, "we could just as easily kick the door in and take her before the authorities showed up."

"Jeez, you are really not in a stealth mood today are you. She's already taken my translocator out of the package. Right now she's reading a book. I can use my little friend to knock her out with a some gas you know," Sombra insisted.

He shook his head, "Save your gas; the back of my shotgun will do just fine." Sombra rolled her eyes. She opened up another comms screen and tuned in to a few Numbani news channels. In a matter of minutes an urgent news bulletin came across every channel. Doomfist has returned.

"See you inside," Sombra called as she pixellated into thin air

Angela had opened the package to find a rubik's cube. Strangely enough it had 6 shades of varying purple instead of the usual colors. There was a message inside that read, 'sometimes a closer look is all it takes to fix a problem; wishing you the best of luck, Oasis University'. Apparently, the university had heard about her projects and were eager to see the results. Unfortunately for them, today she really just wanted to relax. A nap would be lovely but that was out of the question for now. She had eaten breakfast and freshened up then settled down with some good reading material. After a short while she turned on the tv and began flipping through the channels.

"Try one of the Numbani news stations," rasped an eerily familiar voice. Her head spun around and she gasped as she was greeted with a figure she had only seen in an internet article.

"Hola," came another voice from beside her. She looked over and saw a young hispanic woman in purple. She reminded her a lot of the rubik's cube. "Do you have anything good to eat here?" the Sombra asked.

"Seriously turn on the Numbani news," Reaper repeated. With her hands shaking uncontrollably Angela flipped to a Numbani news station.

"I'm really impressed that she didn't scream or piss herself," Sombra admitted, "I'm going to go raid the kitchen really quick I'll be right back." Truth be told, Angela was so damn tired that her reactions were a bit off and the scream didn't follow the gasp.

The TV showed the destruction that Doomfist had caused thus far. He was currently in combat with Numbani's latest hero; a reconstructed OR-15 omnic named Orisa.

"Hmm...that omnic," Reaper said, "it's tough; still it won't last long, it's only a matter of time until he wears it down." Angela's phone rang, startling her. "Answer it," Reaper instructed. She picked up and barely managed to force out a hello.

"Hello, Dr. Ziegler, it's Ana, I hope you've been well."

There was a pause and finally Angela replied, "I've been better, I'm really happy to hear that you are well."

"Thank you darling; I've been meaning to call you sooner but now is as good a time as any. I'm sure you've heard that Doomfist escaped. Well he didn't wait long to make his move; he is attacking Numbani as we speak. It seems Talon isn't wasting any time making their moves. That being said I figured I should tell you, Gabriel is alive. He is working with Talon under a new persona and alias; he is the one they call Reaper. You may have heard about him on the news or online. Jack and I had an encounter with him not too long ago and we believe he is seeking revenge on all of us. I'm sure he will do everything he can to find you so wherever you are, be careful and stay safe," Ana warned.

Angela's head turned slowly to face the figure behind her. He motioned for her to continue her conversation. "This is all so much to take in," she stammered, "I appreciate it, Ana; don't worry about me I'll be fine. Perhaps I'll see you soon."

"That would be good dear," she answered, "Until then, I'll see you later." Angela put the phone down carefully as there was a shotgun resting on the side of her face.

"Well it seems we don't need to get reacquainted then," Reaper declared.

"What happened to you," she begged to know.

"You tell me, Doc," he snarled before delivering an onerous payload of hurt to the back of her skull with the butt of his gun. She slumped over in her chair, out cold. Reaper looked up at Sombra who was packing her mouth. She held up a finger as she finished swallowing.

"I traced the call and got the location," she confirmed. They looked at the TV; Winston had arrived on the scene along with Genji and Tracer.

Let's keep pushing forward then, he said. He picked Angela up and tossed her over his shoulder.

"At least she can get some sleep now," Sombra commented, "she looks like she could really use some rest."


	4. Chapter 4

"You are not looking well," Devil laughed as Angela lay sprawled out on the cold ground. They were in a dark area surrounded by dense forest as far as she could see. The darkness seemed unnatural; like a smog had settled over the area and refused to clear up. Unknown creatures seemed to crawl through the thick foliage between the trees. She slowly raised herself up and looked around. Her head was throbbing like crazy. "Did someone call a doctor?" Devil teased, "You know, if you had unleashed me, this would have never happened; we'd probably be at Gibraltar using state of the art facilities right now."

"Would you please shut up and go away," Angela grumbled.

Devil sighed and shook her head. "You're a very stubborn woman you know. You did this to yourself. Even you lashing out at me right now is just more proof of you fighting with yourself."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea at the moment actually," Angela proclaimed.

Devil raised an eyebrow and gave her an inquisitive look, "That blow to the head must've rattled you a bit, you're going to fight me? With what, your staff? You couldn't throw a punch if someone spiked your drink at a christmas party. You couldn't take a lick if you lost a fight to a puppy. You couldn't-"

"ENOUGH" Angela yelled at her. She rubbed her temples in an attempt to alleviate the headache.

"Are you quite sure that you wouldn't like some assistance with your current predicament?" Devil offered, "I can get you out of this tight spot easily."

Angela continued rubbing her temples and asked, "how?" Devil motioned for her to follow and they began walking down a path she could barely make out. As they walked Devil began to explain things.

"Well let's think about this rationally, she began, You've been knocked out and you're probably being abducted. What do you think is going to happen to you when you wake up? If Gabriel wanted to kill you then you'd be dead so clearly they have something else in mind. You're incredibly stubborn so you aren't going to comply with demands. They'll probably use brainwashing much like they did to Gerard's wife. Then who knows what horrible things might happen to you."

Angela sighed, "what can you do."

"Anything you aren't willing to do, but have thought about doing," she revealed.

"I'm a healer; it's my job to help people anyway I can," Angela protested.

Devil smirked, "oh we'll help them, don't you worry about that." They reached a clearing and Devil pointed at a figure walking ahead of them. From what she could make out, it's face appeared to be rotting away while still attempting to heal. It was partially hidden under a hood which was connected to a cloak. Under the cloak one could make out a swirling mass of rotting flesh and nanites; it looked like a nest of cockroaches feasting on dying flesh. Angela felt faint and sick. She turned away and fought back the urge to vomit. "I'm sure you'd rather not consult with that guy," Devil assumed. So perhaps you should act on those impulses I send you in critical moments.

Miles away in Numbani, the reformed Overwatch strike team had their hands full trying to stop the ensuing chaos. Winston dished out the orders, "Tracer, you and Genji help those people trapped in that building; I'll help that OR-15 keep Doomfist busy in the meantime. Remember, Mccree still hasn't found the sniper so stay covered as much as possible."

"Roger that big guy," Tracer shouted back as they took off. Orisa was holding out rather well against the fury of Doomfist. The agile warrior had to adjust his strategy a bit to combat the omnic's ability to halt many of his movements. Currently, he was using a car to shield from her bullets. She paused to reload and he took the opportunity to send the vehicle sliding into her shield. It shattered and she moved to drop another. As soon as she stuck her arm out it was smashed by a car door. Doomfist laughed at the omnic as it looked at it's destroyed arm. With her shield arm disabled he launched forward and charged her. They collided but the omnic didn't budge. He grabbed her other arm and attempted to tear it from her while fiercely striking her with his other fist. He was mindful of the supercharger she had yet to deploy. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Winston was closing in. He settled for gouging one of the omnic's eyes before he leapt back and moved to cover. A bit of backup was needed.

"Widowmaker, take out the tin can's supercharger, then clear the area and get the teleporter ready," Doomfist said into his earpiece. Winston had made it to Orisa and dropped his shield. He said a few things to her and then launched over Doomfist so he and Orisa had him covered on both sides and began closing in. Pinned down by Orisa's near constant gunfire, Doomfist didn't have many options. He continued shooting at Winston's shield until it broke. Right when the shield shattered, the unmistakable crack of Widowmaker's shot sounded through the air: the supercharger was down. Winston's head spun around mid stride to see where the shot had come from; Doomfist took the advantage and rushed forward to strike him with all his might. He sent the hero reeling into the nearest wall. Seizing the moment, Doomfist grabbed Winston and used him as a shield to charge towards Orisa. The omnic ceased fire and braced for impact. Winston collided with her and she stumbled back. Before she had a chance to assess his condition Doomfist was upon them. He punched Orisa's gun arm hard, crushing it. She reared back on her hind legs and kicked at him trying to push him back. He tripped over Winston and fell backwards but managed to flip back into a ready stance. Winston struggled to his feet.

Meanwhile in Oasis, Angela's abductors were cruising down a highway as they made their way back to the teleporter that had brought them to Oasis. Sombra took in all the sights; this was her kind of city. "You know being able to come to a place like this is one of the reasons I joined Talon in the first place; I'd really like to come back here and see what kind of information this place is really hiding."

"Not all information is worth knowing," Reaper said abruptly; "a bit of patience would do you a world of good." There was a brief pause interrupted only by the sudden click of their seat belts being undone. The two looked down then back at Angela who was conscious again; her eyes wide and glowing an eerie red.

"Hello there," she sang right before delivering an unruly elbow blow to the back of Reaper's head. His mask hit the steering wheel and the vehicle swerved into the guardrail. Sombra quickly tossed a translocator out the window and then grabbed hold of the steering wheel to try and steady the vehicle. Angela struck him again and again even as he had spun around to restrain her. For her next trick she yanked the e-brake as hard as she could. Reaper and Sombra were both flung from the car.

"Doomfist this is Sombra, we have a bit of a problem; the doctor ran us off the road and is on the run. Reaper and I have been separated and he's not answering. It's gonna take me a few minutes to locate him. Will update soon."

"Dammit," Doomfist bellowed as he slammed his fist into the ground and sent a mighty spray of debris in all directions. Tracer and genji returned just as he retreated from view into a nearby building.

"I'll go up a floor and try to cut him off in case he's heading up," Genji informed the rest.

"Good, I'll pursue him directly," WInston answered, "Orisa can you still fight?"

"Weapon systems are badly damaged; at most I can delay his escape but can no longer subdue him," she responded.

He nodded, "Alright then, don't worry we'll handle him; let's go team." They dashed into the building and looked around. No one in sight but the room was very well lit.

"Guys," Genji called from above them. They looked up and saw genji through a hole in the floor. They all looked up farther and to their horror Doomfist was hurtling towards them at terminal velocity.

"METEOR STRIKE!" he roared as he collided with the bottom floor and sent shock waves through the building. The structure creaked and groaned then finally came crashing down around the heroes. After a few tense moments, Doomfist leapt from the rubble. He looked over at the disarmed omnic. They locked gazes for a moment, her eyes flashing red. "Next time," he stated and made his way towards his meeting point with Widowmaker. When he arrived he was surprised to see her hogtied in the center of the roof.

"Reach for the sky," came a voice from behind him. He stopped in his tracks but kept his hands by his sides. "You deaf partner?" Doomfist turned his head slightly and saw Jesse Mccree standing with his gun raised and pointed at his back.

"So you confront me knowing that my return means your comrades have been defeated?" Doomfist inquired.

"Guess that means the score is even between you two then. However given the fact that your girl here was getting your escape ready I reckon that means you were high tailing it," Mccree declared.

"Make no mistake cowboy, I don't run from battle. I had no intention of killing your friends. I came here today to make a statement; I have returned and soon my organization will rise up and make our mark on this world. There is nothing you and your comrades can do, especially not since their downfall. Today was my way of telling you all to gather your circus freaks together for a grand finale. With that he dropped a shield he had snatched from Winston. One sec too slow Mccree unloaded his clip. The bullets thumped into the shield. Doomfist picked up Widowmaker and activated the teleporter. Until next time partner," Doomfist chuckled. Irritated, Mccree spat, then began making his way back to the others.

Doomfist and Widowmaker arrived back at Talon headquarters. He dropped Widowmaker on the floor and tapped his earpiece. "Sombra what the hell is taking you," he shouted into it

"We had to get a bit rough with the doctor, She tried to escape but Reaper caught her. She's pretty scrappy for a healer. We'll be there in a moment, Sombra out."

Doomfist turned and looked at the still hogtied Widowmaker. "Are you going to leave me like this?" She asked.

"What happened," he questioned.

"The cowboy got the drop on me; so to speak. He nearly blinded me with that flash bang. We traded shots; I nicked him and he disarmed me. I tried to recover my rifle but he rolled forward and kicked it from the roof. I put my hands up to feign defeat but he didn't take any chances and promptly shot me in the foot," she explained.

Doomfist had noticed that one of her feet was exposed and bandaged. He sighed, "the incompetence you 3 have shown me thus far has strengthened my desire to expand. Perhaps the cowboy can be swayed to join as well. First we must secure the doctor. Then the ninja. Then the bowman. The two wild cards aren't interested but they can still be manipulated."

"Could you untie me now please," she requested. He obliged but didn't help her to her feet. Sombra and Reaper teleported in with Ziegler in tow. She looked a bit battered and bruised. She was bound and gagged; eyes wide.

"Hello doctor," Doomfist greeted her, "my cohorts and I have business to discuss with you. However first we have other things to handle so you'll be put in a holding cell; not to worry though, it's comfortable enough.


	5. Chapter 5

Angela was placed in one of Talon's many holding cells , the room was actually pretty snug and comfy; It was very much like a hotel room. There was a comfy bed, a desk, a nice chair, a TV, and a clean bathroom. However, there was no window and the steel door also gave it more of a holding cell feel. Despite her loud and constant protests they tossed her right in and shut the door behind them. She had hoped that she'd be able to eavesdrop on some conversations and see some new faces but no luck. She sat down on the bed and wondered if she'd be able to get any rest since she had finally 'unleashed' Devil Mercy. When she had given Devil control she was left within the confines of her own mind in a sort of dream world but she was completely aware of what Devil was doing. Perhaps Devil is always trapped in that dream world when she was conscious. Or perhaps the nanomachines had finally taken a toll on her mental health. Talking to a different version of herself in her dreams and disturbing her own sleep...yeah seeing a doctor the proper way was probably a bad idea; they'd think she was crazy. Surely she could figure this out with the proper research and help. She'd consult with her Overwatch associates when and if she ever got the chance. A loud metallic clang from the door jarred her from her thoughts and in walked a woman. She wore a blue dress, a matching blue visor, and had a mechanical arm.

"Hello, Dr Angela Ziegler, it's an honor to meet you," she greeted her, "I am called Symmetra."

"I wish we were meeting under better circumstances but nevertheless hello," Angela responded, "so are you here to tell me what's going on?"

"I have heard you are a peerless healer and have heard tales of your accomplishments and feats. I'm excited for the opportunity to work with you," Symmetra praised her.

"Work with me?" Angela stammered, "work _WITH_ me...?"

Symmetra continued, "Yes work with you. I am told that you'll be helping us with our endeavors as a healer, researcher, and inventor."

"I don't recall agreeing to any of that," Angela refuted.

Symmetra nodded knowingly, "I see. They've assured me that you will comply one way or another so I will leave it at that." She turned to leave.

"Uh, hey wait," she called after her, "Do you think I could potentially get some pain pills or something? I have a terrible headache and I'm pretty sore from the methods they used to capture me." Symmetra cocked her head to the side and looked upwards; thinking.

"I believe I can procure some; even if there aren't any here it's only a matter of programming a teleporter. I will return shortly with your medication doctor," she replied. And with that she departed leaving Angela alone with her thoughts again. Symmetra...a representative of Vishkar, here at what could only be Talon HQ or an outpost they use. Vishkar and Talon plotting something that they wanted her cooperation with. Considering Vishkar's efforts it surely had something to do with 'establishing order over people'. Not too long after Symmetra left, Angela was visited by Widowmaker and Reaper.

"Well at least I've had a bit of company today," Angela murmured as the woman approached. She held out a bottle; they were prescription pain pills. Reaper stood by the door.

"You look a bit rough doc; life been hard on you lately?" he rasped.

"Yep I'm only one strand of sanity away from pulling your very soul out of your chest," she smiled.

"Hmph," he returned.

"I accompanied Reaper to let you know that there is no fear in being brainwashed. Once I underwent the procedure I was freed from the shackles of fear. As such I was able to achieve a state of being and a way of living I never dreamed I could have."

"You killed your husband," Angela asserted, "brainwashing ruined you. It robbed you of a proper life and dragged you into the hell of battle."

"It was unfortunate that my husband had to die but I had a mission to complete," Widowmaker reassured her.

"Getting to the point," Reaper cut in, "we knew you wouldn't comply so we're taking the necessary steps to make sure you do. Personally I'm glad you're unwilling to help us. We've got a few more things to handle before I can show you what I mean but don't worry it'll be worth it." Done speaking, he abruptly turned and left.

"Bonsoir," Widowmaker called back as she followed behind reaper. Once she had gone, Angela took her meds and sat down on the bed. How long would it be before the team found her. She knew she had no hope of fighting or fleeing so if she was to be brainwashed it was inevitable. She could only hope that the effects of the brainwashing could be reversed somehow. Maybe she'd get lucky and the brainwashing could cancel out whatever was happening in her mind right now. Then she'd be free to sleep as much as she liked. Or as much as her Talon superiors permitted her to sleep. From the sound of things they had many plans for her expertise. Who knows perhaps she could even become an even more revered expert in her field once her skills were no longer restricted to a moral code. She shook the thoughts from her mind and turned on the TV. She could at least enjoy the peace and quiet while it lasted. After a while all the pain and aches she had been feeling had vanished. She looked at the ingredients for the pills to see how strong they were; something she probably should've done before simply taking them. Whatever the case, she felt great

"Careful those are very addictive," Devil warned. Angela looked up to see her relaxing by the door.

"That was a pretty good fight you put up against those 2," Angela responded, "would've been nice if you didn't get me so beat up though."

"Thank you, and you're welcome AND we regenerate," Devil added.

"Would've been nice not to get caught too," Angela continued.

"Yeah well I sent the damn distress signal so now it's up to your friends," she returned.

Angela sighed, "well hopefully we don't get brainwashed before that happens. I'm already having enough troubles with my brain as it is what with you being present."

Devil scoffed, "You talk about me like I'm an affliction of some sort; a disease. You poor deluded woman. I'm you, silly. We are one in the same. Actually, I might be more you than you are." Angela gave her a stern look. "Right then," she continued, "so you realized that I'm trapped here as an onlooker while you're awake; makes you feel bad for me doesn't it."

"Not really, I'm still fairly convinced you're imaginary and I did all those things in some sort of sleep deprived stupor," Angela declared. Devil shook her head. She left the conversation at that for a bit and checked out the holding cell. "Not a bad place," she concluded, "it's kind of cozy actually."

"How long are you going to interfere with my sleep," Angela interrupted.

"It hasn't been that long you know," Devil pointed out, "but I imagine that eventually you'll just start blacking out and randomly losing consciousness from lack of sleep." There was a pause and Devil looked over so she could enjoy watching Angela's expression change as the realization sank deep into her.

"I won't allow this," she began.

"You know I wanted to share with you but you're really stubb-"

"I won't allow it," she blurted again

"Even though I tried talking to you several times you jus-"

"I WON'T ALLOW IT," she shrieked.

The door slammed open and a couple people stepped in. Doomfist stood outside the door looking at her inquisitively. Even farther back stood Symmetra. A couple random personnel rushed in and searched her. "She's clean," said one of them.

"Doctor who are you speaking with?" asked Doomfist. Angela looked back and forth among all the faces, including Devil who stood by the wall smiling and waving.

"I was thinking out loud," Angela answered.

"Right," he replied, "Moving on, it seems that you will be spending the weekend here. Our partner, Symmetra, has offered to stay as well and work alongside you on a project if you are interested. The two of you can use the lab down the hall. You'll be under direct supervision by Reaper's team so don't try anything foolish. If things go well then we'll continue working in this manner. However, let me assure you that at the first sign of trouble, you'll be brainwashed. Have a pleasant night doctor," he finished and the entire party left.

Devil peeped out the cell after them. "My, my, my," she started, "isn't he a charming man; so powerful." She made a fist in the air, imitating his iconic pose. "What's the matter dear, you look spooked," Devil worried.

"I'm not asleep," Angela confirmed. Devil grinned and nodded. "How…,"Angela wondered pointing at her.

"Those pills are pretty damn strong aren't they," Devil remarked. Angela's eyes widened as she realized she must be hallucinating from the lack of sleep and the pills. She couldn't continue like this.

"What do I have to do for you to let me sleep," Angela questioned.

"Hmmm," Devil hummed, "I don't know, my plan of waiting until you blackout and then assuming direct control sounds pretty fun to me." Angela grit her teeth, holding her tongue and simply stared. "Ok, ok, I'll let you have some rest, you'll need it if you and symmetra plan to do anything worthwhile this weekend. You should make our staff more durable while you're at it, I plan to give a few people a mean whack when I get the chance. In fact it would be better if we just switch out every now and then," Devil reasoned.

"Right," Angela agreed, " well if it's alright with you I'm going to sleep for a good long while." And with that she laid down and slept hard.


End file.
